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Jonathan Coulton not (yet) working on song for Portal 2

by Kevin Kelly { Jun 19th 2009 at 8:30PM }

We still haven't had any confirmation of a Portal sequel, other than, you know, designer Kim Swift and Valve's lead marketing director, Doug Lombardi mentioning that the game is probably coming. Now internet songster and Portal theme -- "Still Alive" -- composer Jonathan Coulton has chimed in as well.

We recently interviewed Coulton about his upcoming "Best. Concert. Ever." CD & DVD set (look for the full interview soon where we'll be giving a copy away), and the first thing we asked him about was how his song for Portal 2 was coming along. "I haven't started it yet. I honestly don't know ... I haven't spoken to them in a long time about it, so I don't know much at all about their plans for Portal 2 and what they're thinking of doing," he told us. "And that's the truth, that's not an 'I signed a non-disclosure agreement and can't tell you what's going on' answer. I really don't know."

So it's still a non-confirmation of nothing, but it sounds like he may be on tap to write something for it. Maybe. Possibly. Speculatively. Hope is "Still Alive" (we hope).

Voice actor job posting hints at potential Portal 2 details

by Kyle Orland { Jun 10th 2008 at 5:00PM }

A Kotaku tipster seems to have stumbled upon a casting call for "a character for a new game in the Portal series from Valve Software" on subscribers-only actors resource Breakdown Express. The posting is loaded with character details for the game's "principal antagonist," including his history, demeanor and general outlook on life. The posting even details how the character's psychology changes as the story progresses, hinting at some intriguing story possibilities for the sequel to our top game of 2007.

If you don't mind having such important details spoiled at least seven months before the game is released, follow the read link and, er, read all about it. Or, if you're a voice actor who can handle "dark comedy ... with occasional dramatic moments" starting next month, why not try out for a piece of video game immortality?

Potential Portal 2 details revealed in casting call

by Richard Mitchell { Jun 10th 2008 at 12:45PM }

Kotaku reports that a voice over casting call has revealed some potentially major Portal 2 details. The casting call was discovered by a tipster on breakdownexpress.com, a website devoted to listing casting calls for various projects. The casting call, which requires a subscription to view), is for a major role in the sequel, described as someone who "Goes from sidekick to principal antagonist." We won't spoil more than that here. Those who aren't worried about spoilers can find more info after the break.

Continued →

Valve's Lombardi: No Portal 2 in 2008

by Griffin McElroy { Apr 26th 2008 at 6:00PM }

We're making a note here: huge disappointment -- since Kim Swift's February interview with X-Play, where she mentioned the existence of a Portal 2 project, we've been salivating at the thought of the continued adventures of Chell, GlaDOS, WC³, and the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. Unfortunately, it seems we'll be wearing our spit guards for quite some time -- according to a recent Eurogamer interview with Valve's Doug Lombardi, any sort of continuation of the beloved franchise will not be hitting store shelves this year.

Lombardi expressed Valve's desire to create an equally "revolutionary" successor to the lightning-in-a-bottle first person puzzler, rather than cash in on the franchise at the height of its popularity with a quick and dirty sequel. Oh, Lomby, can't we have both? We're all about instant gratification -- especially gratification involving cake, and a particular silent, springheeled heroine.

GDC08: Portal designer talks "Portal 2"

by Richard Mitchell { Feb 21st 2008 at 10:00PM }

In a GDC interview with X-Play, Portal lead designer Kim Swift has seemingly confirmed the existence of Portal 2. Now, this isn't exactly shocking, as only weeks ago Valve's Doug Lombardi stated that "more Portal" was definitely on the way, though he did not confirm exactly what shape it would take. This led to speculation that it could either be downloadable content for the game or a full blown sequel. There is a wrinkle worth mentioning though, as Swift's "confirmation" was derived from the statement, "I believe Doug Lombardi, who's our lead marketing director at Valve, has announced Portal 2." And therein, dear readers, lies the rub. Was she referring to Doug's "more Portal" comment or something else? Given that Swift is the lead designer of the original game, and Lombardi's previous quotes noted that upcoming Portal-related content would be more than just "a bunch of new puzzles," we'd say Portal 2 is all but assured at this point.

[Thanks, Steve G.]

GDC08: Portal designer Kim Swift mentions 'Portal 2'

by Christopher Grant { Feb 21st 2008 at 9:45PM }

We're not sure if Portal designer Kim Swift was speaking out of turn when she told X-Play, "I believe Doug Lombardi, who's our lead marketing director at Valve, has announced Portal 2." Was she referring to Lombardi's recent comment that "There'll be more Portal"? If so, we sorta thought his qualification of "the details of that ... we're still working out" sort of meant that "more Portal" didn't necessarily mean "Portal 2."

Maybe that means "more levels" or "more musical hits by passive-aggressive AIs" ... or maybe, just maybe, it means "Portal 2." Lombardi told us, simply, "More Portal is coming. Nothing more to disclose right now." So, looks like we're back at cube one.

[Thanks, Steve G.]

Portal 2: is it actually a good idea?

by Richard Mitchell { Jan 10th 2008 at 3:15PM }

MTV's Multiplayer poses an interesting question: does Portal need a sequel? Hailed by many as one of the best games of 2007, and hailed by some as the best game of 2007, Portal represented a truly unique and engaging experience rarely seen in the video game industry. As Multiplayer puts it, the game was satisfying; it didn't leave you wanting more. Of course, we all know that one-off gaming creations are less than common in video games, as the ultimate goal of publishers and developers is to create a game that can be turned into a successful franchise. The question is not whether or not Portal will receive a sequel, but if it should.

Our answer: yes. Because GLaDOS is still alive, and she's got to go. But what do you think? That's what we want to know. As such, we've drummed up a poll asking that very questions. Submit your answer below and tell us why you picked it in the comments.

[Via Joystiq]